Upgrading trans heat exchanger to an oil cooler

[Mrkentee]

It may be a common misconception. It's put out by them. I read it in their literature. Go figure.

[dhirocz]

Well it makes sense to me. I don't see how that heavy beast could vary in strength so much by changing the type of cooler it has. It's metal, not plastic.

I think certain ratings require certain coolers. If you add that to the 1650 and 1850 using the same case, I can see where he is coming from. There are other changes aside from just the cooler.

Besides, none of us would ever run into a shop that would try to sell us a 1650 as an 1850 by throwing a heat exchanger on a 1650. Nawww... Lol

[DUKE58]

(09-29-2017 )dhirocz Wrote:  Update. Just sharing information.

Got ahold of an Eaton engineer today and played twenty questions with him. There is alot of bullshit out there so I wanted to pass on what he told me.

A 1650 tq trans is just that. An 1850 is also just that. Torque rating doesn't change due to what cooler is installed. Common misconception from what he said.

A 1650 can be upgraded to an 1850 tq trans but requires changing out the guts, meaning it's more cost effective to just buy a new transmission.

Neither a 1650 or 1850 can be upgraded to a 2050. 2050's require a new case. A 13 speed can also not be upgraded to an 18, though some people mod their 13's to split the low side...and kill their trans life in the process, since a 13 isn't made to handle splitting the low side.

The air cooler does nothing but improve fluid life therefore improve transmission life. Also gets rid of the failure prone heat exchanger. Fine with me...my trans, an rtoc-16909a up converted to a 13, already has an oil pump installed because it came with a heat exchanger. The only thing I need to do is remove the heat exchanger, remove the coolant lines or T them together, put JIC fittings in the case where the heat exchanger was, and run hoses up front to a cooler...which works for me since I have a good cooler and hose already.

Last thing he mentioned is to use the lower port which is the outlet, an put a remote filter housing on that hose, pre-cooler. I plan on doing that and snapping a filter mag on it. I should be able to do this reliably and professionally for well under $200.

How much did the adaptor cost? Where did you get it?

[dhirocz]

You mean the filter adapter?

Got a new one on eBay for $40 shipped. I was kinda lucky there.

[DUKE58]

(09-29-2017 )dhirocz Wrote:  You mean the filter adapter?

Got a new one on eBay for $40 shipped. I was kinda lucky there.

thank for info on eBay I will start there

[Mrkentee]

(09-29-2017 )dhirocz Wrote:  Well it makes sense to me. I don't see how that heavy beast could vary in strength so much by changing the type of cooler it has. It's metal, not plastic.

I think certain ratings require certain coolers. If you add that to the 1650 and 1850 using the same case, I can see where he is coming from. There are other changes aside from just the cooler.

Besides, none of us would ever run into a shop that would try to sell us a 1650 as an 1850 by throwing a heat exchanger on a 1650. Nawww... Lol

I know I read it somewhere. Can't find it. But It also says a 16913 is limited to 1650 torque, an 18913 to 1850 torque, and a 20913 to 2050 torque, which makes more sense.

[Mrkentee]

Warning- if you own a 386 and want to install an air transmission cooler, the k1956 kit has the 18025 oil cooler. It is shorter than stock and has 3 rows, which makes it wider (up and down). My friends 379 with oem cooler is longer, but only has 2 rows.
The two row cooler will be a lot easier to install in the room you have in front under the condenser.

[dhirocz]

Anybody happen to know the thread size coming out of the case for the oil cooler? I'm trying to build my own oil cooler setup, and I think I have it all figured out...

What I'm planning on doing is running to a remote mounted for the filter, then out to a thermostat, then finally to the cooler. Cooler is a heavier duty B&M, something I can mount up front that can take the occasional rock from the road. It's big enough for decent cooling capacity (14400 btu) during longer harder pulls, and the thermostat will prevent overcooling in the next few months. I have a gauge to monitor the trans temp/system as well. I want to plumb it up with JIC fittings and some top notch high temp oil cooler hose.

Every time I remember it's after I already put the truck on the road...

[Hammerhead]

(10-04-2017 )dhirocz Wrote:  Anybody happen to know the thread size coming out of the case for the oil cooler? I'm trying to build my own oil cooler setup, and I think I have it all figured out...

What I'm planning on doing is running to a remote mounted for the filter, then out to a thermostat, then finally to the cooler. Cooler is a heavier duty B&M, something I can mount up front that can take the occasional rock from the road. It's big enough for decent cooling capacity (14400 btu) during longer harder pulls, and the thermostat will prevent overcooling in the next few months. I have a gauge to monitor the trans temp/system as well. I want to plumb it up with JIC fittings and some top notch high temp oil cooler hose.

Every time I remember it's after I already put the truck on the road...

I wouldn't do the thermostat unless you are putting in a "closed return".
The pump in a tranny is just a simple gear pump designed to have NO resistance, therefore it has NO pressure relief that I'm aware of. Creating pressure with a closed t-stat could be very bad.

The first rule of home engineering: Keep It Stupid Simple

I would go the other way, put an electrical stat switch that turns an electric fan on to cool instead, that's what I intend to do when I do mine.